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Do you have stomach pain after eating? There’s nothing more uncomfortable than being ravenous, sitting down to a great meal and being doubled over afterward. It’s almost like you’ve been punished for eating. I know what you’re going through. I used to suffer stomach pain after eating almost every day. Let’s take a look at the common reasons for this and what you can do to get better.

Why Does Your Stomach Hurt After You Eat?

There are several reasons you may be getting a bellyache every time you walk away from the dinner table.

Undiagnosed Food Intolerance
This I have plenty of experience with. Undiagnosed gluten intolerance causes stomach pain after eating. It did me from childhood to my early twenties. It wasn’t until a naturopath suggested I try a gluten free diet that my life completely changed. If you have stomach pain after eating plus diarrhea, abdominal cramping, gurgling intestines, brain fog and a feeling of being “sick all over”, you may be gluten intolerant.

Gluten is the protein found in wheat, rye, barley and oats. Those who are intolerant to it are unable to digest this protein and it causes an inappropriate autoimmune response.

The best way to find out if gluten is causing your symptoms is to avoid it for a period of one month and then reintroduce it en masse into your system. You’ll react right away and finally know if it’s what’s causing your symptoms.

Another undiagnosed food intolerance that can cause stomach pain after eating is lactose intolerance. Those who are lactose intolerant are unable to digest the sugar in milk and other dairy products. You may also experience nausea, diarrhea, bloating and gurgling intestines.

The best way to test if lactose is causing you stomach pain after eating is to avoid anything with lactose in it for one month and then reintroduce it into your system.

Stomach Ulcers
Stomach ulcers can cause stomach pain after eating. Ulcers are small holes in the stomach or intestinal lining that can cause burning, gnawing feeling in the upper abdomen a few hours after meals. Loss of appetite and weight are other signs of a stomach ulcer. You may also experience vomiting, anemia and blood in the stool.

Gastroparesis (Slow Digestion)
Gastroparesis is a condition characterized by partial stomach paralysis, which means food moves very slowly through the digestive tract. This can cause severe stomach pain after eating only a few bites of food. Sudden weight loss, loss of appetite, heartburn, nausea and vomiting are also symptoms of this condition.

Certain medications, autoimmune disease and gastrointestinal surgery are some of the causes of gastroparesis.

Too Many Liquids with Meals
Drinking too much soda, coffee, tea, juice or even water can cause stomach pain after eating. Taking too many liquids with meals can dilute necessary digestive juices, which can lead to difficulty digesting foods and stomach pain.

How Can I Stop Stomach Pain?

If you think you have a food intolerance, follow the suggestions above first.

Stomach pain after eating is often a sign of troubled digestion. In order to regulate your digestion, you need some “tools”.

They are:

Soluble Fiber
Soluble fiber helps keep your digestive system balanced. The most common sources are psyllium fiber, apple pectin and kiwifruit powder. I’m a fan of kiwi myself. It’s gentle, easy to take and, unlike psyllium, works well in pill form.

Enzymes
Adding a digestive aid to your diet can help stop stomach pain after eating. No matter what the root cause, stomach pain after eating means you’re not digesting well.

Phenolic Compounds
Stomach pain after eating can also be a symptom of a build-up of bad bacteria in the gut. Phenolic compounds inhibit the growth of bad bacteria and promote the growth of good ones. Most digestive supplements do not contain these necessary compounds but there is one pill that does and it’s made from kiwifruit.

PrebioticsPrebiotics promote the natural growth of friendly bacteria in your gut, which can relieve stomach pain after eating. Prebiotics are not probiotics. Probiotics are friendly bacteria whereas prebiotics help your digestive system produce them itself.

There are plenty of supplements you can take to relieve your stomach pain, but they’re a lot to take all at once. I just found a supplement that has all four of these compounds in one easy pill!

Kiwi-Klenz from Xtend-Life contains the extract of kiwi fruits (along with their skins). This ensures you get all the goodness of 2-3 whole kiwis through just a couple of pills a day. There is no better way of improving your digestion and getting rid of stomach pain naturally.